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Ralph Ellison wrote Invisible Manin 1952, which addressed many of the challenges African-Americans faced in American society during the early 20th century–and continue to face today. The novel won the U.S. National Book award in 1953 and is on high school reading lists across the United States.

This week, the Randolph County School Board banned the book from its shelves, prompted by a complaint by one parent who found the book to be salacious and not age appropriate.

All school board members were given a copy of the book to read in advance of their vote deciding whether or not to keep the book on the library shelves in Randolph County Schools. Board members Tommy McDonald said he found the book difficult to read and Gary Mason said he found no literary value in its pages.

A school media advisory council and a district committee advised the board to keep the book in school libraries, but members voted to ban the book anyway.